


A Mother's Regret

by AchillesMonkey



Series: FitzSimmons Fics [8]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Family Fluff, FitzSimmons - Freeform, Mention of Past Abuse, Mother-Son Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-14
Updated: 2017-05-14
Packaged: 2018-10-31 20:04:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10906503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AchillesMonkey/pseuds/AchillesMonkey
Summary: On Mother's Day, Fitz's Mum and Jemma discuss their boys and Fitz's Mum tells Jemma about her biggest regret.





	A Mother's Regret

The cups of tea were warm in Jemma’s hands as she carried them over to the garden table where Ellie Fitz was sitting watching her son and grandson chase each other around the garden.

“Oh, thank you, dear,” Ellie said when Jemma placed one of the cups next to her. She picked the cup up and sipped at the tea as Jemma sat down with her own cup.

Newt shrieked in delight as Fitz caught him and picked him up, turning him upside down and blowing a raspberry on the little boy’s stomach. Both women smiled at the sight.

“You raised a good man,” Jemma told her mother-in-law. “I hope that I can do even half as good a job as you.”

Ellie sat her cup of tea on the table with a clink and looked over at Jemma, a sudden sadness in her eyes. “Oh, my dear, I didn’t do nearly as good a job as I should have. You’ve already moved well past me in how well you’re mothering that wee boy.”

“No!” Jemma cried, reaching out to cover Ellie’s hand with her own. “Don’t say that! You are the reason that Fitz is the way he is! Believe me, we know exactly how awful it would have been if you hadn’t been there for him.”

Ellie hummed noncommittally. “But imagine how different he’d be if he hadn’t been exposed to that man at all.”

Jemma squeezed Ellie’s hand, not sure how to respond. Ellie turned to watch as Fitz swung Newt through the air, smiling at the huge grins on both of the boys’ faces.

“You told me that the Framework changed your biggest regret,” Ellie began.

“Well, not really—” Jemma started to explain, but Ellie continued speaking, pulling her hand away from Jemma.

“My biggest regret is that I didn’t leave at the first sign of abuse. I kept fooling myself that Alistair was truly a good man, that it was the drink what turned him mean. Then we had Leo, and he wasn’t like the other children. Alistair thought he was—” Ellie paused and a look of pain flashed across her face, “—slow,” she said, though Jemma knew that wasn’t the word Alistair had used. “I knew that wasn’t true. I knew that my boy was smart, and special, and what did it matter if he wasn’t the same as the boys down the street?

“It’s probably a good thing that Alistair refused to let me get him tested,” Ellie said. “When Leo was small, autism wasn’t as well understood as it is now. Back then, they blamed it on the mother.” She scoffed. “Alistair would have loved that.” A silence fell as they watched their boys play.

“Whenever Fitz has told me about his father,” Jemma began, after taking some time to gather her thoughts, “he always makes sure to include how you protected him, how you comforted him, and loved him. The bad stories always end with how good you were to him. I will always be grateful to you for loving him the way that you did, for protecting him, and encouraging him. Because you loved him, he let me love him. And that would not have happened without your influence in his life. Fitz would not be the wonderful father that he is if he didn’t have you to show him what parental love is actually like.”

“MUMMY! NANA! WATCH ME!” Newt shouted, and they turned their attention to the little boy as he did a cartwheel in the grass. Jemma and Ellie cheered and Newt jumped up and down in excitement.

“And if I didn’t have Fitz,” Jemma continued, “then I wouldn’t have my own wonderful little boy, and I can’t imagine a world where I didn’t have Fitz and Newt.”

“I don’t regret having Leo at all,” Ellie said. “I adore my son, and you’re just as much an influence on the man that he became, Jemma. Don’t sell yourself short, love. You’re doing a wonderful job with Newt. He’s going to grow up to be something special. Just like you, and just like Leopold.”

Jemma smiled. “Happy Mother’s Day, Ellie.”

Ellie smiled back, reaching over to squeeze Jemma’s hand. “Happy Mother’s Day to you, Jemma.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, and thanks for any kudos/comments! I'm unlessimwrongwhichyouknowimnot on Tumblr!


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